Saipan weather in May

In May, Saipan sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 64 mm of rain across 13.2 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Saipan's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Saipan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
7th warmest
Overnight low
27°
10th coldest
Rainfall
64 mm
13.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:52 AM – 6:34 PM
Cloud cover
48%
7th clearest
Wind
22 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.76 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Saipan is city.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Saipan reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52827
62827
72827
82827
92827
102827
112827
122827
132827
142827
152827
162827
172827
182827
192827
202827
212827
222827
232827
242827
252827
262827
272827
282827
292827
302827
312827

How May really feels in Saipan

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 18 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
18
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Saipan weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°6113.311.26.2
Feb27° / 26°3911.311.56.5
Mar27° / 26°389.811.96.9
Apr27° / 26°5010.412.36.7
May28° / 27°6413.212.76.0
Jun28° / 27°10017.912.94.7
Jul28° / 27°2232712.83.5
Aug28° / 26°34028.212.53.3
Sep28° / 26°29826.612.13.4
Oct28° / 27°30425.611.73.8
Nov28° / 27°1331911.34.9
Dec28° / 26°6714.811.16.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
26931
36832
46832
56733
66733
76634
86634
96535
106634
116634
126535
136535
146535
156535
166535
176535
186535
196535
206535
216436
226436
236535
246436
256436
266337
276337
286238
296238
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Saipan gets around 64 mm of rain over 13.2 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 43% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
539
639
739
840
940
1040
1140
1240
1341
1441
1541
1642
1742
1842
1943
2043
2144
2244
2345
2446
2546
2647
2748
2848
2949
3049
3150

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 55% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
116039
215940
315841
405842
505644
605545
705446
805248
905149
1004951
1104852
1204753
1304654
1404555
1504456
1604357
1704357
1804258
1904258
2004258
2104159
2204159
2304060
2404060
2503961
2603862
2703763
2803664
2903466
3003367
3103169

Wind in May

Winds average 22 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
524breezy
624breezy
724breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy
3120breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:58 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 6:30 PM to 6:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:586:30
212.55:586:31
312.65:576:31
412.65:576:31
512.65:566:31
612.65:566:32
712.65:556:32
812.65:556:32
912.65:546:32
1012.65:546:33
1112.75:546:33
1212.75:536:33
1312.75:536:33
1412.75:536:34
1512.75:526:34
1612.75:526:34
1712.75:526:35
1812.75:526:35
1912.75:516:35
2012.75:516:36
2112.85:516:36
2212.85:516:36
2312.85:506:37
2412.85:506:37
2512.85:506:37
2612.85:506:38
2712.85:506:38
2812.85:506:38
2912.85:506:39
3012.85:506:39
3112.85:506:39

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.76 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.76 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.76 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.8Intense
56.8Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.8Intense
176.8Intense
186.8Intense
196.8Intense
206.7Intense
216.7Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Saipan

In seasonPeak

In May, Saipan sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Saipan sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Saipan's monsoon runs July–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Saipan?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Saipan for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Saipan in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Saipan sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 13 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Saipan in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Saipan in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Saipan peaks around August 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 9 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highAug 16UV 13Dec 18UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec8Very high
Location & terrain

Where is Saipan?

Saipan sits at 15.2°N, 145.8°E, 5 m above sea level, in Northern Mariana Islands. The nearest listed city is Yigo Village, 208 km away.

Topography around Saipan

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Saipan.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Saipan has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 454 m around an average of 123 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 454 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 446 m.

The land around Saipan is covered by trees (74%) within 3 km, water (86%) within 16 km, and water (97%) within 80 km.

3 km
454 m
16 km
454 m
80 km
446 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Yigo Village 208 km · Dededo Village 213 km · Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Village 219 km · Tumon 219 km · Hagatna 221 km · Mangilao Village 221 km · Ngerulmud 1,485 km · Koror 1,509 km

Northern Mariana Islands travel facts

GDP per capita
$23,786
2022
Safe drinking water
81%
of population, 2024
Income group
High
World Bank

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Saipan (15.2123°, 145.7545°, elevation 5 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).